Treating & Preventing Miscarriage

Treatment After a Miscarriage
Miscarriage can be a traumatic experience for a woman. It can cause feelings of anger, loneliness, hopelessness, and fear. A woman often wonders why this happened to her and if she will ever heal, physically and emotionally, from the wounds of a miscarriage. She may wonder if this will happen again if she tries to conceive in the future. She can take comfort in knowing that there are physical and emotional treatments for miscarriage and that there are also ways to prevent this misfortune from occurring again in the future.

The first and most important part of treating a miscarriage is to prevent further bleeding, hemorrhaging, and possible infection from setting in. Most miscarriages occur in the first trimester (first 12 weeks) of a pregnancy. The earlier a woman is in her pregnancy the greater the chance that all of the fetal tissue will be expelled from the body.

D & C (Dilation & Curettage)
If the entire fetus is not expelled it may be necessary to have a procedure known as a D & C (dilation and curettage). For this a procedure a woman will either check into the hospital or a clinic where such procedures are performed. After a pre-surgical routine a general anesthetic will be administered. During the D & C the cervix is dilated and the uterine lining is either scraped away or vacuumed to remove whatever may be left of the fetus. It is not usually necessary to stay in the hospital after this procedure. After a D & C it is crucial to monitor the amount of blood you are losing. If there is increased bleeding or you being having fevers it is important to contact your health care provider. You should also watch for other signs such as fever as this could be a sign of an infection.

Preventing a Miscarriage
Miscarriages are generally caused by a genetic abnormality. Because of this there is not much a woman can do to prevent herself from miscarrying. However, maintaining good health is extremely important. By maintaining a healthy body you provide an environment that is healthy for conception and for the growth of a baby. There are steps you can take to ensure that any future pregnancies will be healthy. Some of these include: managing stress levels, exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding the use of alcohol and tobacco products, reducing your intake of caffeine, avoiding environmental hazards such as radiation and infectious disease, and consuming folic acid on a daily basis. Folic acid is a B vitamin that plays a role in the production and division of cells, including red blood cells.

Sources

American Pregnancy Association

Allen, Marie. Miscarriage: Women Sharing from the Heart. United States: Wiley Publishing, 1993.

Rousselot, Susan. Avoiding Miscarriage: Everything You Need to Know to Feel More Confident in Pregnancy. Doylestown, PA: Sea Change P; Illustrated Edition, 2006.

Young, Bruce. Miscarriage, Medicine & Miracles: Everything You Need to Know about Miscarriage. New York, NY: Bantam Publishing, 2009.